ITSM Newsletter Volume 8 - October, 2002 Part I

Preface
Last month we discussed an important area of ITSM, Incident Management. We offered a high level, simplistic view that is a good basic starting point in defining it and the best practices and other supporting ITSM information relative to performing it.

This month will be Part I of two parts that will define Terms of Reference for an ITSM Manager. That is, those things that make up the role of a Manager for ITSM within an organization.

ITSM Manager Terms of Reference Definition
These Terms of Reference define the Activities, Roles and Responsibilities, and Interfacing Methodology for the IT Service Management Manager within an organization.

ITSM Manager Activities
The Terms of Reference for the ITSM Manager are to encompass but not be limited to the following activity areas:
    1) Identification of service management requirements based on organization business requirements.
    2) Definition for the development of ITSM best practices and services.
    3) Primary contribution to and proofing of appropriate ITSM Service Delivery and Service Support collateral for ITSM services.
    4) Definition of resource, process, technology, organization, and integration requirements for ITSM services.
    5) Primary coordination of the assessment, design, planning, implementation, and support of ITSM services.
    6) Developing a methodology for interfacing with appropriate business end users and IT areas and personnel for ITSM Service Delivery and Service Support efforts.
    7) Primary coordination of the development and production of any ITSM services reports.
    8) Production of an annual ITSM Cost Benefit Analysis, Operational Plan, and Budget Forecast that includes a Resource Requirements Plan by major ITSM Service.
    9) Primary coordination, project management, and delivery of ITSM Services and cross-training of appropriate organization, business, and IT personnel.

ITSM Manager Roles and Responsibilities

The ITSM Manager will have roles and responsibilities include but are not limited to the following areas:

Identification of Service Management Requirements
    1) That includes a Requirements Definition Process for the following:
        • Business strategy aligned to IT driven by business or IT requirements articulated by the defining IT objectives, policies, and standards based on the requirements to support the business and the organization.
        • Strategic and tactical service planning.
        • Organization planning to integrate and make operational the services provided by IT that align to business.
        • Technology planning to define IT infrastructure.
    2) That includes a IT Service Delivery for the following:
        • Services that are driven by the business or IT to support operational, tactical business requirements, changes to the infrastructure and any tactical or strategic activities.
        • Will ensure compliance with policies and implementation standards set by the Requirements Definition Process.
        • Operational Service planning and development.
    3) That includes a IT Service Support for the following:
        • Services that are driven by daily business or IT changes to support the desired operational state and provide stability (Steady state operations).
        • Daily operational activities.

Development of ITSM Services
The ITSM Manager will work with the appropriate business end users and IT areas and personnel to draft, construct, and develop identified and qualified ITSM Services and best practices so that they could be made available as required. The appropriate personnel will include but not be limited to the relational outside vendors and consultants, if the ITSM services are directly involved with the development and deployment of new or enhanced processes and hardware and/or software technology, as well as, business and IT analysts, programming, and any other necessary management for the organization, business, and IT.

Development of ITSM Service Delivery and Service Support Collateral
    1) Work with the appropriate business end users and IT areas to identify, draft, construct, and develop identified and qualified ITSM services collateral to be made available as required to enable both training and ITSM service delivery. The methodology for the development and roll-out of this collateral must be developed and will be used for this process to ensure standardization for all services and optimization of services quality and integration.
    2) Training oriented collateral should be in the form of guides that will assist in the areas of defining and supporting ITSM services to the organization. It will provide them with presentations, documented best practices, sample questionnaires, templates, forms, and any other organization, business, and IT oriented materials that describe services and support.
    3) Service oriented collateral should be in the form of guides that will assist in the areas of defining, managing, and delivering ITSM Services to the organization. This includes assistance for organization, business, and IT Support where required. It will provide them with delivery guides and any other organization, business, IT oriented service delivery and service support materials needed to assist in ITSM services.

RL Consulting Announces New ITSM Tools and Workshops
Utilizing SolutionMethod™ proprietary questions and evaluation processes, RL Consulting employs 3 automated tools; ITSM Assessment Worksheet, ITSM ROI Worksheet, and ITSM Implementation Readiness Worksheet.

1, 2, and 3 Day ITSM Workshops that offer a broad range of training beginning with Management level, through Strategy and Planning, to Implementation.

To Learn More About These Tools and Workshops and How They Can Help You - Click Here -

Definition of Requirements for ITSM Services
    1) Work with the appropriate organization, business, and IT personnel to deploy identified and qualified ITSM Services. Appropriate personnel will also include but not be limited to the relational outside vendors and consultants, if the ITSM services are directly involved with the development and deployment of new or enhanced processes and hardware and/or software technology, as well as, business and IT analysts, programming, and any other necessary management for the organization, business, and IT.
    2) Work with the appropriate personnel to ensure the necessary ITSM Service Support and Service Delivery collateral is available upon ITSM services deployment.
    3) Work with the appropriate personnel and with any required outside vendors and consultant expertise to ensure the necessary IT Support resources and expertise is available upon ITSM services deployment.
    4) Work with the appropriate personnel to ensure the necessary methodologies and best practices are available for ITSM Services upon deployment.
    5) Work with the appropriate personnel to assist in the definition of ITSM Service education and training for organization, business, and IT upon deployment.

Interfacing Methodology for the Organization, Business, and IT
    1) Identify requirements in the areas of people, processes, technology, organization, and integration.
    2) Perform requirements definition to satisfy organization, business, and IT needs.
    3) Assess the appropriate and required ITSM Services.
    4) Architect and design the appropriate and required ITSM Services and any inter-related dependency services that are necessary.
    5) Plan the appropriate ITSM and dependency services based on organization, business, and IT requirements in the areas of people, processes, technology, organization, and integration.
    6) Develop and implement ITSM and dependency services including any necessary ITSM documentation, collateral, training, and education.
    7) Support the ITSM and dependency services including any necessary ITSM documentation, collateral, training, and education. Act as the focal interface for all ITSM efforts across the organization.

Development and Production of ITSM Reports
Work with the appropriate organization, business, and IT personnel to identify, draft, construct, and develop identified and qualified ITSM services output reports to be made available as required for the status of all ITSM Service Delivery and Service Support areas such as service levels, availability, capacity resource usage, etc. The methodology for the development and roll-out of this collateral must be developed and will be used to ensure standardization of reports for all services and optimization of services quality and integration.

Development and Production of ITSM Analysis, Plans, and Forecasts
Work with the appropriate organization, business, and IT personnel to identify, draft, construct, and develop annual ITSM Cost Benefit Analysis, Operational Plan, and Budget Forecast that includes a Resource Requirements Plan by major ITSM Service for all ITSM Service Delivery and Service Support areas that have identified and qualified ITSM services. The methodology for the development and roll-out of these plans and forecasts must be developed and will be used to ensure standardization for all services and optimization of services quality and integration.

Next Month we will define the ITSM Manager role in the Coordination, Project Management, and Delivery of ITSM Services

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Downloads
White Papers:
   » SLA Description and Templates
   » Consolidation Questionnaires
   » Service Continuity Methods
   » Project Management Practices
   » Developing a Communication Plan
   » Data Management Process
   » Proactive Business Model
   » Realization of Benefits

Service Briefs:
   » ITSM Maturity Assessment
   » Incident and Problem Management
   » Service Continuity
   » Config and Change Management
   » Service Level Management
   » Capacity Management
   » Availability Management
   » Release Management

- Click Here -

Additional Information
Visit www.itsm.info to learn about ITSM, IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), and SolutionMethod™ (a Policy Based ITSM Approach). In addition, you can download free and informative white papers, questionnaires, and service briefs. This includes more in-depth information on the topics presented in this newsletter.

To learn how RL Consulting can assist in achieving IT Service Management goals and our full range of solutions:
Contact us at RL_Consulting@ITSM.info or phone us at 602-996-6830

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Volume 8 - October, 2002 Part I
This newsletter and the information contained herein is maintained by Rick Leopoldi and property of RL Information Consulting LLC.